FR2626436A1 - PROCESS FOR MARKING A FOOD PRODUCT SUCH AS A HAM AND THE PRODUCT THUS OBTAINED - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for marking a food product, in particular a ham, where appropriate at least partially surrounded by its rind and vacuum-packed. This method is characterized in that, before the vacuum packaging of the product, at least one continuous notch 2 is practiced in the direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of cutting of slices, from the outer surface to a predetermined depth of the product, at least partially fills the notch 2 with a marking means 3 and then performs the vacuum packaging operation, the marking means 3 being adapted to remain embedded in the notch part 2 slices cut so as to obtain a marking of each slice. The invention can be used for natural hams.

Description

1. The invention relates to a method for marking a food product,

  in particular a ham, where appropriate surrounded at least partially by its rind and

  packaged under vacuum, and a product obtained by this process.

  It is known for cooked hams obtained artificially in a molding process to give the ham a distinctive shape during molding before the cooking operation. To this end, there is provided inside the mold delimiting for example a space of parallelepipedal general shape a longitudinal rib which prints the ham a notch of complementary shape extending over the entire length thereof. Thus each cut slice of the finished Ham has at its periphery a notch which could be considered as an indicator sign of its origin. However, this known marking method can only be used for products whose manufacture involves a molding operation. In addition, a simple peripheral notch does not constitute an identification character str, since it is easily reproducible at any stage.

  ham production, after molding.

  Thus, the marking of products such as natural hams has hitherto been limited essentially to whole products, that is to say, to the provision on the product of an identification symbol of a nature to

  distinguish products for example conourrent.

  The object of the present invention is to provide a process for ensuring slice marking, which is unfalsifiable and can also be used for natural products, in particular natural hams, that is to say

obtained without molding.

  To achieve this purpose, the process according to the invention is characterized in that prior to the vacuum packing of the product, a continuous notch in the direction substantially perpendicular to the cutting direction of the slices is practiced, starting from outer surface to a predetermined depth of the product, at least partially reimplements the notch of a marking means and then performs the vacuum packaging operation, the marking means being adapted to remain embedded in the part of notch slices cut from FaGon to

  obtain a marking of each slice.

  According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, for a cooked ham surrounded at least partially by its rind, the notch is practiced in

  the latter to a predefined depth.

  According to an advantageous characteristic, the marking means is formed by a noodle-shaped element made of a suitable material such as a jelly, a muslin or an azimuth bread, which is capable of

  to adhere to the walls delimiting the notch.

  According to another advantageous characteristic of the invention, the marking means is formed by an element in the form of a wire or ribbon, such as a gold wire or

a braid of gold thread.

  The natural product such as a natural ham, the appropriate bottom cooked and at least partially surrounded by its oouenne, obtained by the aforementioned method, is characterized in that it comprises in its outer part, such as its rind, at least one continuous notch extending in the product direction so that each cut edge thereof has a portion of that notch, from its outer surface to a predetermined depth, and the notch is filled with a means of marking likely to remain

  embedded in the notch part of each slice.

  The invention will be better understood, and other purposes, features, features and advantages thereof

  will appear more clearly in Gours of the description

  explanatory text which will be made with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings given solely by way of example illustrating an embodiment of the invention and in which: - Figure 1 is a schematic and perspective sectional view of a ham provided with a marking according to the present invention; and FIG. 2 is a perspective view in which

  large scale of the detail indicated in II in Figure 1.

  The invention will be described, by way of example, in its application to a natural ham. as can be seen from the figures, this jambdn is surrounded at least in large part by its rind indicated in 1. This ham is formed by a pork leg, that is to say of fruity meat, which has been de-boned, put into shape into a pocket

  Vacuum plastic and cooked in this pocket.

  After this cooking operation, the bag is opened and cut into the rind 1 a notch 2 which extends continuously in the longitudinal direction of the ham, that is to say in a direction perpendicular to the cutting direction of the slices to a predetermined depth. This notch can have any suitable shape. Then the notch is filled at least partially with a marking means 3. This means may be formed by a material in the form of a noodle, such as jelly, muslin or an azimuth bread or the like. . One could also use for this purpose a

  gold wire, a braid of gold wire or a braided hose.

  Then the ham thus prepared is subjected to the operation of the vacuum packaging. Thus the marking means S is trapped in the notch by the transparent packaging film 4. The notch can present, for example, a

  width of the order of 1 cm and a depth of 2 mm.

- 2626436

  It should be noted that any means or filling material may be used which adheres to the walls of the notch 2, after the vacuum packing, in the notch portion of a cut wafer. When the marking means is a noodle, a jelly, or a muslin, this material remains hanging in the notch by a gluing effect. It can be seen that in this case, when the notch has been completely filled, it retains its shape even during the operation of the package. When the marking means is formed by a wire or a braid, the notch partially closes around this means, which ensures its incrustation and retention even after a

cut into thin slices.

  The marking means must be visible at the periphery of each slice in the plane of the slice and retain a valuable aspect. For this purpose, a suitably colored material will advantageously be used. The marking means must be suitable for cutting into slices and must be compatible with the rules or requirements

food.

  Of course, many modifications and variants can be made to the example of use that has just been described with reference to the figures. Thus any type of notch, as to its cross section and its depth can be chosen which does not destroy in the eyes of the consumer the image of natural product and does not cause in it the association of the marking-a the integration of a foreign body in the product. It goes without saying that by appropriately choosing the marking material, the invention is also applicable to food products other than hams surrounded by an oouenne or cooked hams.

Claims (5)

  1. A method of marking a food product, including a ham, where appropriate at least partially surrounded by its rind and packaged under vacuum, characterized in that it is practiced, before vacuum packaging of the product, at least one encode (2) continues in the direction substantially perpendicular to the slice cutting direction, from the outer surface to a predetermined depth of the product, at least partially fills the notch (2) with a means marking (3) and then performs the operation of the vacuum packaging, the marking means (3) being adapted to remain embedded in the notch portion (2) of the slices cut so as to obtain a marking of each slice. 2. Method according to claim 1, for a cooked ham surrounded at least partially by its rind, characterized in that the notch (2) is practiced in the   - rind (1) to a predetermined depth.   3. Natural product such as a natural ham, where appropriate cooked and at least partially surrounded by its rind, obtained by the process according to one of the   claims 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises   in its peripheral part such as its skin (1), at least one continuous notch (2) extending in the product so that each cut edge thereof has a part of this notch (2), from its outer surface to a predetermined depth, and that the notch (2) is filled with a marking means (3) capable of remaining embedded in the notch portion each tranche. _ = 26Z6436   4. Product according to claim 3, caraoteris in that the marking means (3) is formed by one element. in the form of a noodle of a suitable material such as a jelly, a muslin or an azimuth bread, which is likely to adhere to the walls delimiting the encoohe (2).   5. Product according to claim 3, characterized in that the marking means (3) is formed by a member in the form of a wire or ribbon, such as a wire.   of gold, a braid of gold thread or a braided hose.